Verizon has reached a deal with another virtual MVPD—this time Sling TV—to offer its wireless and broadband subscribers access to live TV.
Starting today, new and existing Verizon customers with a wireless, Fios or 5G Home account can get two free months of Sling TV, but only if they’re new to Sling TV. The deal includes either two months of Sling Blue or Sling Orange ($35/month); two months of Sling International (one of 14 eligible Sling services, with monthly rates varying up to $35/month); or three months of Sling Latino — including Best of Spanish TV at $10/month plus a regional service at $5/month (up to $15/month).
"We'll continue to lead the market with our delivery of not only unmatched value in live TV, but also unique, customer-centric packaging flexibility and innovation across live sports, news and entertainment. We're proud to partner with Verizon to provide their customers a terrific opportunity to experience the benefits of Sling TV,” said Michael Schwimmer, group president at Sling TV, in a statement.
RELATED: Verizon shakes up TV, internet bundles with ‘Mix & Match’ pricing
"This partnership enables our customers to watch live television when, where and how they want," said Erin McPherson, head of consumer content and partnerships at Verizon, in a statement. "We are excited to provide even more value and choice as we welcome Sling TV to our ecosystem of incredible partners and services."
Verizon has made a habit in recent years of partnering with third-party video services as its own Fios Video pay TV service continues to slowly lose subscribers. During the most recent quarter, the company reported 82,000 Fios Video net losses during the first quarter of 2021, dropping its total to approximately 3.77 million. As Variety pointed out, that’s the smallest Verizon’s Fios Video subscriber base has been since the first quarter of 2011, when it sat at approximately 3.66 million.
When Verizon launched its Mix & Match pricing for broadband and video bundles, YouTube TV factored in heavily. The provider has also struck recent deals to provide its subscribers with complimentary subscriptions to Disney+ and Discovery+.